Significant amount of illegal drugs seized across island, and abroad bound for Ireland, in a week

A significant amount of illegal drugs from Cannabis to Crack Cocaine have been seized by gardaí in various searches across the island, and indeed in Costa Roca bound for Ireland, in a week.

Cash and Drugs Seizure Dublin
Gardaí attached to the Street Crime Unit at Kevin Street Garda Station said they seized Cocaine, Heroin and cash during an operation in the Meath Street and Coombe areas of Dublin on Monday 20th August 2018.

Gardaí said the Cocaine and Heroin seized had a combined estimated street value of €60,000. Cash totalling €10,000 was also recovered along with drug paraphernalia, fraudulent Passports and other documentation of interest, said Gardaí.

Two men were arrested in connection with this investigation and were detained under the provisions of Section 2- Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. They were released without charge and Gardaí said a file will now be prepared for the information of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Cocaine and cannabis seized in Dublin 12
Gardaí in Crumlin said they seized cocaine and arrested one man during an operation on 18 August in Drimnagh, Dublin.

During the search of a house in Drimnagh, Gardaí from the Crumlin Drugs Unit seized cocaine with an estimated value of €64k, along with €14k of cannabis herb.

Gardaí said they also seized €7,500 in cash.

A 25-year-old man was arrested following the seizure and was detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at Sundrive Road Garda Station.
Investigations are ongoing.

Cocaine seized Costa Rica bound for Ireland
An estimated 133 kilograms of cocaine, which was concealed in a cargo of fruit destined for Ireland, was discovered in a container on board a ship at Moin Port in Limón, Costa Rica, on 14th August.

Gardaí said the cocaine seized has a potential value of €10 million.

An Garda Síochána (Pic: Inside Ireland.ie)

The Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau said it is undertaking an investigation into the discovery of the drugs by the Drug Control Police of the Ministry of Public Security in Costa Rica.

Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, Special Crime Operations confirmed that An Garda Síochána and Customs & Revenue would be trying to find out the role of criminals based in Ireland who had wanted to smuggle the cocaine into the country.

Drug Seizure, Wexford

Gardaí and Revenue Customs Officers seized a packet which contained Cannabis Herb, Methamphetemine and Ecstasy with an estimated value of €20,000 during the search of a home in the Newbawn Area of Co. Wexford, on the 17th August.

A 23 year old male arrested at the scene by Gardaí was later released. A file is being prepared for the DPP.

Gardaí said the search was part of ‘ongoing joint investigations targeting drug importations in the south east’.

Belfast

Police in north Belfast said they seized suspected heroin with a potential street value of more than £5,000 after a vehicle was stopped on Allworthy Avenue on Friday 17 August.

A passenger in the car was arrested and subsequently questioned on suspicion of possession of class A drugs and possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

Sergeant Walsh said:

“Tackling the supply and use of dangerous illegal drugs like heroin is a priority for us and operations like this one demonstrate our ongoing commitment to tackling the scourge of drugs in our society. I would encourage anyone who has any information about the use or supply of illegal drugs to contact police on the non-emergency number 101 with any information they have.”

Belfast searches

PSNI Officers from the Paramilitary Crime Task Force arrested two people and ‘recovered a large quantity of drugs and drugs paraphernalia’ following searches in north Belfast on Thursday 16 August.

Detective Inspector Lynne Knox said there were two planned searches of houses in the Glencairn area in which a ‘large quantity of pregabalin/lyrica tablets along with drugs paraphernalia and a cocaine press were seized’.

“These arrests and seizures are further evidence of our ongoing commitment to removing and disrupting the illegal supply of drugs in Northern Ireland. We know that drugs can ruin lives and line the pockets of organised criminals, and we are determined to disrupt these criminal gangs.”

The Police Service of Northern Ireland, HM Revenue & Customs and the National Crime Agency have established the Paramilitary Crime Task Force to tackle criminality linked to paramilitarism as part of the Executive’s action plan on tackling paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime.

Man arrested & charged for €45,000 worth of cocaine in Cork
Gardaí arrested and charged a man following the seizure of approximately €45,000 worth of suspected cocaine on MacCurtain Street, Co Cork on 16 August.

Garda lamp (Pic: Inside Ireland.ie)

Drug seizure Dundalk
Gardaí from Ardee and Dundalk, assisted by the Armed Support Unit, said they discovered approximately €68,000 of cocaine after a search of premises at Knockbridge, Dundalk, Co Louth on the afternoon of the 16th August.
A 26 year old man was arrested and was later charged.

Drug seizure, Laois
Gardaí said they found €50,000 worth of suspected cocaine during the search of a vehicle near Abbeyleix, Co Laois, on 16 August.

Two men were arrested at the scene of the search, which was part of what gardaí called ‘an on-going operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the Tipperary Division’.

Drugs Seized in West Dublin
Gardaí from Ronanstown said they seized drugs with an estimated value of €140k and arrested a man during an operation at Collinstown Park, west Dublin on 16 August.

During a follow up operation Gardaí said they searched a house in the Ronanstown area and seized MDMA with an estimated value thought to be in excess of €90,000.

The investigation is ongoing.

Seizure of firearms and crack cocaine in Dublin.

Crack Cocaine was discovered after two searches were carried out in the Ballyfermot area, Dublin 10 by Gardaí from Ballyfermot Detective Unit and assisted by Armed Support Unit, on 16 August.

Gardaí said that during the course of the searches two firearms were recovered along with a quantity of Crack Cocaine, with an estimated street value of €85,000.

One man was arrested.

Cannabis herb valued at €24,000 found in Dublin

Gardaí searched a residence in Lucan County Dublin on 15 August and found a package which contained around 1 ¼ Kgs of Herbal Cannabis with an estimated value of €24,000 euro (subject to analysis). A 25 year old Irish male were arrested at the scene, as part of the operation by Gardaí.

Investigations are continuing.

Drugs/Tobacco/ Cash Seized in Limerick

Gardaí and Revenue officers in Limerick reported they seized ‘cannabis, controlled drugs, tobacco and cash to the value of approximately €252,000’ on Tuesday 14 August.

Gardaí from the Divisional Drugs Unit in Limerick and Revenue officers from the Southern Region carried out a search at a business premises off Davis Street, Co Limerick around 10am.

During the course of the operation, Gardaí and Revenue officers said they seized approximately €100,000 worth of cannabis and controlled drugs, 170,000 cigarettes and 60kg worth of tobacco with a retail value of €132,000, and approximately €20,000 in cash.

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